There’s the developing Rock 39 Industrial Park, which is at the intersection of Interstate 39 and Baxter Road. Con-way Freight is an inhabitant.

In June, county officials announced that FedEx is moving its ground operations there, which is expected to help position the Rock River Valley as one of Illinois’ logistics capitals.

The Memphis, Tennessee-based global delivery services company is expected to lease a 186,000-square-foot facility to bring more than 150 jobs. The project, which could start as early as September 2015, carries a price tag of up to $20 million.

And there’s the region’s proximity to Interstate 39. Carrie Zethmayr of the I-39 Logistics Corridor Association said I-39 is within 500 miles of at least 30 percent of the nation’s population and 30 percent of all U.S. businesses.

“We can go north and south very quickly,” said David Smith, Con-Way’s operations manager.

Zethmayr said the region has been promoting foreign-trade zones; the partnerships between the U.S. government and private companies allow cargo into the country with deferred, reduced or eliminated duties.

And now the airport has embarked on a 25,000-square-foot airport terminal expansion that will happen over several years and cost less than $20 million.

The airport “plays a tremendously big role in the future of Rockford,” said Ray Wetzel, a Greater Rockford Airport Authority board member. He expects FedEx’s ground operations at Rock 39 to be a boost to the logistics industry.

Page 2 of 2 - “We all certainly think it’s good for the community and hope that there are improvements for the area.”

UPS has been a local delivery service since 1957. The company opened its Air Hub Sorting Facility and Local Delivery Center in October 1994. From there, the company provides ground transit to 70 percent of the U.S. population within three business days.

The company also offers Next-Day Air Service and air cargo services. The Atlanta-based company says its Rockford location is one of the largest sorting facilities in its network. It employs 1,100, including management.

Spokeswoman Christine Hand said there was a reason UPS moved to Rockford: “For us, it was location.”